The opera of Mozart is being presented by the Virêvolte company, led by soprano Aurore Bucher, in the form of a walk through villages in the east of France from August 9th to 26th. The company has settled in the village of Montjustin-et-Velotte, Haute-Saône, where they are finalizing the adaptation of Mozart’s “The Magic Flute.” This production will be showcased in various locations in Franche-Comté and Grand-Est from August 9th to August 26th as an opera walk, a concept created and renewed for almost a quarter of a century by Charlotte Nessi.
The performance takes place in the park of the former director of the Théâtre Edwige-Feuillère in Vesoul, who is also a co-producer of the tour. The troupe led by soprano Aurore Bucher is putting the finishing touches on the traveling show. The first act of “The Magic Flute” by Virêvolte ends with a choreographed battle that blurs gender and function distinctions. The ensemble consists of seven women and eight men, with eight instrumentalists required for the orchestral reduction and seven main roles in the score.
Each member of the company is tasked with something they have never done before, as confirmed by Aurore Bucher, the founder of the group in 2013. Instrumentalists sing, and singers play instruments. The tenor Benjamin Alunni, who plays Tamino, is also a flutist, while Aurore Bucher has taken up the drum to accompany the end of the Overture and the beginning of the Trials. Despite her role in the group, she does not consider herself the leader, emphasizing the collective responsibility for the overall coherence of the performance.
The tenor Christophe Crapez, portraying Monostatos and the Third Lady, notes how singers often take on a leadership role in guiding tempo and phrasing. The instrumental setup, including flute, clarinet, accordion, trumpet, trombone, and string quintet, is unique, as is the French text. Aurore Bucher, along with Sylvie Leroy, aimed to give the libretto a contemporary resonance by addressing issues of racism and sexism present in the original text.
The production seeks to engage audiences who may not be familiar with opera, offering a fresh perspective on a classic piece. By challenging traditional operatic norms and presenting the work in a new light, the Virêvolte company is pushing the boundaries of the genre and making opera more accessible to a wider audience. Through their innovative approach to storytelling and performance, they are breathing new life into Mozart’s masterpiece and captivating spectators with a truly enchanting experience.